Being able to swap between wheeling or carrying sounds awesome, but hybrid packs have generally suffered from being too heavy or awkward to bother with. The Ozone finally gets this equation right, through hard work and evolution. Weighing 6lbs (2.75kg) with its added zip-on backpack, this bag is light even when compared to pure wheeled cases. Refined pattern work, just enough features, and a convertible system that doesn’t need a rocket scientist, this is Osprey at their best.

When packing for a 12-day excursion to the Peruvian Amazon, space is limited. Fortunately, the Osprey Xena 85 pack had plenty of room, with a giant inner compartment plus multiple outer pockets and two zipper pouches in the top. A lower compartment appears to be set aside for a sleeping bag, and is separated from the main pocket by a thin membrane. Overall it’s a great, roomy pack that’s easily customizable and has ample carrying space…

The 2014 Winter Outdoor Retailer just wrapped up in Salt Lake City—a mad deluge of gear porn where the world’s top manufacturers show off the latest and greatest product to hit retailers’ shelves next season. With more than 1,000 participants spread throughout the 515,000-square foot Salt Palace Convention Center, the whole thing can hit like an avalanche. But as the dust settles, we can now reflect back on ten items that we’re excited to see next year…

Some manufacturers like Black Diamond and Mammut have gone all in by creating their own backpacks with avalanche airbags, but Osprey has taken a decidedly more humble—and perhaps much more economically savvy—tact. Rather than reinventing the airbag, the fall 2014 versions of their Kode ski packs will be fully compatible with ABS airbag systems that are already on the market. This means you can use the 22- or 42-liter packs as a stand-alone when hiking or resort skiing, and then zip in an ABS system (which are becoming increasingly easy to rent) directly into the pack when you head into the backcountry…

The rising popularity in alpine tour racing (read: skinning up and then blasting down a snow-covered mountain) has inspired Osprey to create a pack specifically tailored to this high-octane activity. Aptly named the Kode Race 18, the pack excels at making transitions as easy as possible while boot packing by letting you carry—and remove—your skis without taking off the pack. Simply slip your skis in the high-strength loop that rests on the left side of the pack, and sling them diagonally over the strap on the top right. Done. The rest of the pack should prove to be just as easy to use, with a shoulder harness that wraps the ribcage, adjustable/removeable dual chest straps, a front harness pocket for small gear, another for your skins, and a single ice tool attachment with a bungie tie-off, all for a measly 15 ounces…

Osprey has redesigned their entire Kode ski pack line for 2014. We especially like the Kode Race 18 for fast, lightweight tours and randonee racing. Everything is designed for ease-of-use, and most importantly, access without taking your pack off. A cable and hook system lets you throw your skis on board without worry. Side pockets are designed to hold skins and crampons securely when not in use. The best feature though, is the Biostretch Wrap harness, which allows the pack to conform to your movements and feel like more of a race vest than backpack.

Osprey has pretty much defined awesome lightweight travel backpacks for decades. Their Talon series has virtually become the standard kit for minimalist backpackers.

The recently updated Talon 33 is the Goldilocks of the series – not too small, not too big. It’s just right for backpackers looking to take their minimalist packing skills to the next level by traveling with exactly what they need and not an ounce more.

While it retains pretty much all of the previous features that make it awesome, a list of fresh updates take it to the next level. These include lighter weight construction as well as design adjustments to enhance comfort in every available volume. It’s worth noting that the Talon series is now complemented by the Tempest Series specifically for women.

When I was getting ready to head off to my first week-long Boy Scout camp at the age of 12 my dad surprised me with a new frame pack… Every climber knows that she/he needs more than one backpack. I can think of at least 5 specific genres of packs that I need to head out on various endeavors. One of these types of packs is a single-day Alpine Climbing pack. The sweet spot is 30-40 liters. You need more room than a summer day-pack because you need extra layers, crampons, harness and maybe a rope.

This is where the Osprey Mutant 38 thrives; the single day alpine climb. Right off you can see that it has the obligatory features of a winter pack. There are two ice axe/tool attachment points with a simple combination of plastic latch and elastic cord to attach each tool to the pack. A very nice way to save weight over other systems. The extra durable nylon fabric on the back of the pack keeps sharp axe points from ripping through the pack. The waist belt has three racking loops (for ice clippers or carabiners) and one gear loop on each side. This works great when you need to remove the clippers from your harness to use the waist belt, but still want that functionality of racking screws or clipping ice tools while belaying. The waist belt reverse wraps so that you can flip it around onto the pack to stay out of the way of your harness and gear. Wand pockets are located on at the base of the pack on each side so that you can securely carry bamboo wands or snow pickets. The z-compression straps on the side did a great job of keeping the bag compressed when needed as well as keeping pickets secured until needed.